G Lenses

Concepts behind the "G"

In the α lens lineup at Sony, G Lenses stand shoulder to shoulder with the outstanding Carl Zeiss optics. Lens technology developed over the course of many years by Konica Minolta has been inherited and augmented with original Sony design and quality assurance technology to produce a range of lenses that are at the top of their class.

G Lenses are exceptional not only for their superior in-focus image quality, but for the beauty of defocused background areas ("bokeh") as well. The "G" title is only accorded to lenses of the highest performance, as defined by the three concepts described below.

Grace

A high performance lens must offer distinctive exterior design and handling. G Lenses are painstakingly designed to achieve the most satisfactory handling experience imaginable, with meticulous attention given to materials and form. Of course image quality, reliability, and all other aspects of quality must be at an unmatched level as well.

While being graceful works of art in themselves, G Lenses impart a visual elegance to every image they produce.

Gather

In addition to sharpness, another lens characteristic that is essential to the creation of top-quality images is light gathering capability, or "brightness." Most G Lenses offer large, bright maximum apertures for this reason.

Bright lenses offer greater shooting versatility overall, but the use of wide apertures also means that bokeh will naturally be incorporated in many of the images produced. That, fortunately, is another element of image quality at which G Lenses excel. Part of their superb performance is in beautiful out-of-focus rendering which, when combined with stunning in-focus sharpness, can achieve extraordinary breadth of photographic expression.

The G Lens series includes a 35mm wide angle with a maximum aperture of F1.4, a bright F2.8 300mm telephoto, and a popular 70-300mm zoom. All of these lenses do full justice to the G Lens name and ideals, bringing new expressive capabilities to photography.

Gratify

300mm F2.8 G (SAL300F28G)

It is said that you should choose a camera by its lens. A lens that truly fulfills the photographer's needs is a treasure that will never be discarded. G Lens design and manufacture are specifically aimed at producing that treasured lens.

Flare inside the lens barrel is reduced to an absolute minimum in order to achieve high contrast, and parts are individually matched during assembly to ensure unparalleled fit and finish throughout.

Of course technology is the essential foundation, but the care taken with details that don't appear in catalogs or specifications is a vital part of the satisfaction that G Lenses provide.

MTF for the 300mm F2.8 G

(1) Contrast transmission (%)

(2) Distance from optical center of lens (mm)

Spatial frequency

Max.aperture

F8aperture

R

T

R

T

10 lp/mm

30 lp/mm

R: Radial T: Tangential

With the three fundamental G Lens concepts described above as our guiding principles, we are dedicated to delivering image quality and expressive capability that every photographer dreams of. Here are some of the products we believe achieve that goal.

(1) 300mm F2.8 G (SAL300F28G)

This bright F2.8 300mm lens is a favorite with many G Lens enthusiasts. A refined optical design effectively suppresses chromatic aberration while achieving outstanding sharpness. High contrast is maintained from the center of the image to the periphery with negligible falloff.

(2) 70-400mm F4-5.6 G (SAL70400G)

Our new silver barrel color adds a distinctive look to this high-performance super telephoto zoom. Outstanding contrast and sharpness on a par with the best prime lenses is achieved though an advanced optical design that reduces color aberration to an absolute minimum. This lens received the TIPA 2009 Award for Best Expert Lens.

(3) 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G SSM (SAL70300G)

The first lens developed entirely by Sony, this remarkable telephoto zoom provides excellent contrast and sharpness throughout its zoom range. This lens received the EISA European Lens of the Year Award for 2008~2009.

(4) 35mm F1.4 G (SAL35F14G)

Here's a wide-angle lens that features a large F1.4 maximum aperture as well as high resolution and contrast from corner to corner. With Sony's body-integrated image stabilization (SteadyShot® INSIDE), you even gain the rare advantage of camera shake compensation with a large-aperture wide-angle lens.